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The East China Sea is a marginal sea
Marginal sea

A marginal sea is a part of ocean partially enclosed by Landform such as islands, archipelagos, or peninsulas. Unlike mediterranean sea s, marginal seas have ocean currents caused by ocean winds....
 east of China
China

China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. Its name is derived from the Latin name Mare Pacificum, "peaceful sea", bestowed upon it by the Portugal explorer Ferdinand Magellan....
 and covers an area of 1,249,000 kmē. In China
China

China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
, the sea is called the East Sea.

In South Korea
South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea , ), often referred to as Korea and the "names of Korea#Revival of the names", is a Semi-presidential system republic in East Asia, located in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula....
, the sea is sometimes called South Sea, but this is more often used to denote only the area near South Korea
South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea , ), often referred to as Korea and the "names of Korea#Revival of the names", is a Semi-presidential system republic in East Asia, located in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula....
's southern coast.

East China Sea is bounded on the East by the Kyushu
Kyushu

or Kyushu is the third-largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its Japanese Archipelago. Its alternate ancient names include Kyukoku , Chinzei , and Tsukushi-no-shima ....
 and Ryukyu Islands
Ryukyu Islands

The Ryukyu Islands are part of the . From around 1800 on, they have spelled Luchu, Loo-choo, or Lewchew, from the Chinese Liuqiu. They consist of a chain of Islands of Japan in the western Pacific Ocean at the eastern limit of the East China Sea and stretch southwest from the island of Kyushu to the island of Taiwan....
, on the South by Taiwan
Taiwan

Taiwan is an island in East Asia. "Taiwan" is also commonly used to refer to the country governed by the Republic of China and to the ROC itself, which governs the island of Taiwan, Orchid Island and Green Island, Taiwan in the Pacific Ocean off the Taiwan coast, the Penghu islands in the Taiwan Strait, and Kinmen and the Matsu Islands...
, and on the West by mainland China
Mainland China

Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China , excluding Hong Kong and Macau, which run on One Country, Two Systems....
.






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Encyclopedia


The East China Sea is a marginal sea
Marginal sea

A marginal sea is a part of ocean partially enclosed by Landform such as islands, archipelagos, or peninsulas. Unlike mediterranean sea s, marginal seas have ocean currents caused by ocean winds....
 east of China
China

China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. Its name is derived from the Latin name Mare Pacificum, "peaceful sea", bestowed upon it by the Portugal explorer Ferdinand Magellan....
 and covers an area of 1,249,000 kmē. In China
China

China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
, the sea is called the East Sea.

In South Korea
South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea , ), often referred to as Korea and the "names of Korea#Revival of the names", is a Semi-presidential system republic in East Asia, located in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula....
, the sea is sometimes called South Sea, but this is more often used to denote only the area near South Korea
South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea , ), often referred to as Korea and the "names of Korea#Revival of the names", is a Semi-presidential system republic in East Asia, located in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula....
's southern coast.

Geography

The East China Sea is bounded on the East by the Kyushu
Kyushu

or Kyushu is the third-largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its Japanese Archipelago. Its alternate ancient names include Kyukoku , Chinzei , and Tsukushi-no-shima ....
 and Ryukyu Islands
Ryukyu Islands

The Ryukyu Islands are part of the . From around 1800 on, they have spelled Luchu, Loo-choo, or Lewchew, from the Chinese Liuqiu. They consist of a chain of Islands of Japan in the western Pacific Ocean at the eastern limit of the East China Sea and stretch southwest from the island of Kyushu to the island of Taiwan....
, on the South by Taiwan
Taiwan

Taiwan is an island in East Asia. "Taiwan" is also commonly used to refer to the country governed by the Republic of China and to the ROC itself, which governs the island of Taiwan, Orchid Island and Green Island, Taiwan in the Pacific Ocean off the Taiwan coast, the Penghu islands in the Taiwan Strait, and Kinmen and the Matsu Islands...
, and on the West by mainland China
Mainland China

Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China , excluding Hong Kong and Macau, which run on One Country, Two Systems....
. It is connected with the South China Sea
South China Sea

The South China Sea is a marginal sea*south of China,*west of the Philippines,*north west of Sabah , Sarawak and Brunei,*north of Indonesia,...
 by the Taiwan Strait
Taiwan Strait

The Taiwan Strait or Formosa Strait is a 180-km-wide strait between mainland China and Taiwan. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to East China Sea to the northeast....
 and with the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan

The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, bordered by Japan, South Korea, North Korea and Russia. It is referred to in North Korea as the Korea East Sea and in South Korea as the East Sea....
 by the Korea Strait
Korea Strait

The Korea Strait is a strait between South Korea and Japan, connecting the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan in the northwest Pacific Ocean. The strait is split by the Tsushima Island into the western channel and the Tsushima Strait ....
; it opens in the North to the Yellow Sea
Yellow Sea

The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It is located between mainland China and the Korean peninsula....
.

Territories with borders on the sea (clockwise from north) include: South Korea
South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea , ), often referred to as Korea and the "names of Korea#Revival of the names", is a Semi-presidential system republic in East Asia, located in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula....
, Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
, Taiwan
Taiwan

Taiwan is an island in East Asia. "Taiwan" is also commonly used to refer to the country governed by the Republic of China and to the ROC itself, which governs the island of Taiwan, Orchid Island and Green Island, Taiwan in the Pacific Ocean off the Taiwan coast, the Penghu islands in the Taiwan Strait, and Kinmen and the Matsu Islands...
, and Mainland China
Mainland China

Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China , excluding Hong Kong and Macau, which run on One Country, Two Systems....
.

Rivers

The Yangtze River
Yangtze River

The Yangtze River, or Chang Jiang , is the longest river in China and Asia, and the List of rivers by length in the world, after the Nile in Africa and the Amazon River in South America....
 (Chang Jiang) is the largest river flowing into the East China Sea.

Islands and reefs

  • Tong Island


There is a cluster of submerged reef
Reef

In nautical terminology, a reef is a Rock , bar , or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water .Many reefs result from abiotic processes?deposition of sand, wave erosion planning down rock outcrops, and other natural processes?but the best-known reefs are the coral reefs of tropical waters developed through biotic processes do...
s in the northern East China Sea. These include:

  • Socotra Rock
    Socotra Rock

    Socotra Rock is a Reef 4.6 meters below sea level located in the East China Sea. The rock is the subject of a territorial dispute between South Korea, which considers it to lie within its exclusive economic zone, referring to it as Ieodo or Parangdo , and People's Republic of China, which considers it to lie within its exclu...
    , also called Suyan Rock or Ieodo, subject of an EEZ dispute between the People's Republic of China and South Korea.
  • Hupijiao Rock
  • Yajiao Rock


EEZ disputes

There are disputes between China
People's Republic of China

The People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the List of countries by population in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately a fifth of the world's population....
, Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
, and South Korea
South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea , ), often referred to as Korea and the "names of Korea#Revival of the names", is a Semi-presidential system republic in East Asia, located in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula....
 over the extent of their respective exclusive economic zone
Exclusive Economic Zone

Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, an Exclusive Economic Zone is a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine Natural resource....
s.

The dispute between China and Japan concerns natural gas. The People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China

The People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the List of countries by population in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately a fifth of the world's population....
 (PRC) recently discovered that there exists an undersea natural gas
Natural gas

Natural gas is a gas consisting primarily of methane. It is found associated with fossil fuels, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is created by methanogenic organisms in marshes, bogs, and landfills....
 field in the East China Sea, part of the field lies within the Chinese EEZ while the remaining lies on the disputed EEZ between Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
 and the PRC
People's Republic of China

The People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the List of countries by population in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately a fifth of the world's population....
. Under the United Nation's Law of the Sea
Law of the sea

Law of the sea may refer to:* United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea* Admiralty law* The Custom of the Sea...
, PRC
People's Republic of China

The People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the List of countries by population in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately a fifth of the world's population....
 claims the disputed ocean territory as its own Exclusive Economic Zone
Exclusive Economic Zone

Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, an Exclusive Economic Zone is a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine Natural resource....
 (EEZ) due to its being part of PRC
People's Republic of China

The People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the List of countries by population in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately a fifth of the world's population....
's natural extension of its continental shelf
Continental shelf

The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each continent and associated coastal plain, and was part of the continent during the glacial periods, but is undersea during Ice age such as the current epoch by relatively shallow seas and Bay....
, while Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
 claims the disputed ocean territory as its own EEZ because it is within 200 nautical miles (370 km) from Japan's coast.

China
People's Republic of China

The People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the List of countries by population in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately a fifth of the world's population....
 has set up the Chunxiao gas field
Chunxiao gas field

The Chunxiao natural gas field lies in the East China Sea within the China Exclusive Economic Zone and only 4 km from the EEZ border claimed by Japan....
, which is located more than 4 km inside the Chinese side of the EEZ boundary claimed by Japan and is within China's own EEZ, to extract the natural gas. Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
 maintains that although the Chunxiao gas field rigs are on China's side of a median line that Tokyo regards as the two sides' sea boundary, they may tap into a field that stretches into the disputed area. Japan therefore seeks a share in the natural gas resources.

The dispute between China and South Korea concerns Socotra Rock
Socotra Rock

Socotra Rock is a Reef 4.6 meters below sea level located in the East China Sea. The rock is the subject of a territorial dispute between South Korea, which considers it to lie within its exclusive economic zone, referring to it as Ieodo or Parangdo , and People's Republic of China, which considers it to lie within its exclu...
, a submerged reef
Reef

In nautical terminology, a reef is a Rock , bar , or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water .Many reefs result from abiotic processes?deposition of sand, wave erosion planning down rock outcrops, and other natural processes?but the best-known reefs are the coral reefs of tropical waters developed through biotic processes do...
 on which South Korea has constructed a scientific research station. While neither country claims the rock as territory, China has objected to Korean activities there as a breach of its EEZ rights.

See also

  • Geography of China
    Geography of China

    The geography of China stretches some 5,026 kilometers across the East Asian landmass bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam in a changing configuration of broad plains, expansive deserts, and lofty mountain ranges, including vast areas of inhospitable terrain....
    • Xihu Trough
      Xihu Trough

      The Xihu Trough is a region in the East China Sea, located approximately 400 kilometres east of the cities of Shanghai and Ningbo, China. The Xihu Trough falls within the territorial waters of China....
  • Geography of Japan
    Geography of Japan

    Japan is an island nation in East Asia comprising a large Stratovolcano archipelago extending along the Pacific Ocean coast of Asia. Measured from the geographic coordinate system, Japan is 36? north of the equator and 138? east of the Prime Meridian....
    • Senkaku Islands
      Senkaku Islands

      The , also known as Di?oy?t?i Q?ndao , or the Pinnacle Islands, are a group of territorial dispute, uninhabited islands currently controlled by Japan, but also claimed by the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China....
       (Diaoyu Islands
      Senkaku Islands

      The , also known as Di?oy?t?i Q?ndao , or the Pinnacle Islands, are a group of territorial dispute, uninhabited islands currently controlled by Japan, but also claimed by the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China....
       in Chinese
      Chinese language

      Chinese or the Sinitic language is a language family consisting of language mutually unintelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the two branches of Sino-Tibetan languages of languages....
      )
  • South China Sea
    South China Sea

    The South China Sea is a marginal sea*south of China,*west of the Philippines,*north west of Sabah , Sarawak and Brunei,*north of Indonesia,...


External links

  • Kosuke Takahashi. Asia Times Online. July 27, 2004.
  • Chinese submarine enters Japanese waters. Wikinews. November 18, 2004. Retrieved March 7, 2006.
  • The Economist. October 6, 2005.
  • J Sean Curtin. Asia Times Online. October 19, 2005.